Money
Deposit red flags: how vanishing movers get paid up front
A scam mover does not need to steal your furniture to make money. The deposit alone, collected from dozens of families a week, is the business model. The company quotes low, collects 30% to 50% up front, then either disappears, endlessly reschedules, or resells your move for whatever it can get.
What honest movers ask for
- Established carriers commonly ask for no deposit at all, or a small reservation fee in the low hundreds.
- Payment is due at delivery, by card or check: methods that leave a trail and allow disputes.
What scammers ask for
- Large percentage deposits: 30%, 50%, sometimes more, "to lock in your date".
- Untraceable payment: Zelle, Venmo, CashApp, wire transfer, gift cards. Once sent, that money is gone; there is no chargeback.
- Pressure: "this price expires today", "the truck in your area fills up tonight". Real carriers do not sell like this.
Simple rule: never pay a deposit by an untraceable method, and never pay a large deposit to a company whose MoverAudit report shows a broker with zero trucks.
If you already paid
Dispute a card payment immediately with your bank. For Zelle or wire, call your bank's fraud line the same day; recovery is rare but speed matters. File a complaint at nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov and with your state attorney general, and check the company's report here so you know exactly what you are dealing with.